


Lucky Cigarette

by CupOfEarleGrey



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Cigarette Sharing, F/M, First Kiss, Insomnia, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20495006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupOfEarleGrey/pseuds/CupOfEarleGrey
Summary: Unable to fall asleep, you find yourself alone by the campfire with Javier. While sharing a cigarette, some feelings find their way to the surface.





	Lucky Cigarette

You laid on your bedroll, eyes wide open and gazing at the distant campfire. Javier sat alone by the neglected flames, strumming a quiet and gentle melody on his guitar. He was lost in his own music, unaware that he was not quite alone in his private time. The other inhabitants of the camp were already asleep. Aside from the unfortunate souls on guard duty, you and Javier were the only ones awake.

You couldn’t sleep, even though you had been trying for hours now. There was something preventing you from accepting the embrace of slumber, almost as though you were afraid to dream. If it were not for the unknowing company of Javier, you would have cried from frustration. His contented smiles and handsome, fire-lit features were a welcome distraction from your disquieted thoughts.

Deciding that you were further from sleep than ever, you got up from your bedroll. Careful not to wake anybody up, you crept quietly over to the campfire and perched yourself on the log opposite Javier. He looked at you in mild surprise, but continued his song as though nothing had changed. You watched his strong, deft fingers work effortlessly on the strings as naturally as if he had been born to play. It left you wondering just how long ago he started to learn.

Had his talented fingers once struggled and stumbled awkwardly on the strings? Had his beautiful voice that so often accompanied his playing once been scratchy and uncertain? Had he ever given up his craft out of sheer frustration or doubt in his skills? Or was brave, confident Javier too self-assured to worry over what others thought?

You longed to ask him about it. There was a lot you didn’t know about Javier, which was unfortunate because you wished to know everything about him. He was special. He haunted your thoughts more than you would care to admit, and you went to great lengths not to let it show. While you might not know when he first started to play, you knew that love had mistreated him in the past. You didn’t believe you could provide him with the love he so desperately needed, or that he could even want it from you.

His melody reached its inevitable end, and he set his guitar aside, flexing his fingers. He turned his head towards you, tilting it backwards slightly so he could see you from under the brim of his bowler hat. A warm smile flashed across his features and you couldn’t help but return it.

“You okay, _hermosa_?” He asked. “Thought you were sleeping?”  
“I’m fine.” You shrugged. “I just can’t seem to fall asleep.”  
“Hey that’s okay. Hard to get comfortable in the heat.”  
“I guess so.”

Silence fell between you, leaving the crackling fire and hum of insects to fill your ears. You picked at a small cut on your finger just to avoid staring at Javier. You felt awkward for intruding on his private time and regretted getting out of your bed. There was nothing you had to say, making your presence little more than imposing. You wanted to apologise and excuse yourself again, but being around him was a comfort you didn’t know you needed, and you couldn’t bring yourself to leave.

Javier alternated between watching you and casting his eyes about the camp for something to discuss. It had been some time since you had been alone together and he found himself void of anything meaningful to say. It was obvious there was something on your mind too, but he was never any good at comforting people. Hell, he could barely comfort himself.

After several silent minutes, Javier reached into his pocket and produced a battered carton of cigarettes. He got to his feet and opened it, discovering he only had one left. After sliding it out, he tossed the empty package onto his bedroll and moved around the campfire. Javier took a seat beside you on the log and struck a match on it, bringing it up to ignite the tip of the smoke between his lips. He took a deep, grateful drag and offered it to you wordlessly.

It took you a moment to register his proposal, then realising what he was doing, you took it and brought it to your lips. As soon as you tasted the tobacco, you felt your tension start to leave you. You blew a heavy sigh, enjoying the satisfaction of seeing the curling smoke cloud erupting from your lips. Smiling, you passed the cigarette back to Javier.

A silence that had once been awkward now grew comfortable and familiar as you passed the cigarette between yourselves. Javier’s knee brushed against yours, but neither of you pulled away. The small amount of contact warmed you in a way that the humid Lemoyne air could not. It made your hopeful heart beat faster, making you wonder if he knew how he was making you feel.

“It’s… hard to sleep sometimes.” Javier began awkwardly. “We see some shit and we can’t forget it. It comes back when it’s quiet, I guess.”  
He looked down at his hands, currently cigarette free, and frowned.  
“I think about it all the time. How much blood I’ve spilled. Makes me wonder if- if it was all worth it.” He continued, sighing. “But then… I think about everyone else here. They’re my family now. We’re working to make it better, to live how we want. It… makes it easier, I guess.”

You offered him the cigarette again, and he took it, taking an unsteady drag and letting it out on a shaky breath. His fingers trembled slightly as he passed it back to you.  
“I’m not so good with words.” He chuckled softly. “I just uh… I wanted you to know that you can always talk to me.”  
“Javier…” You had never heard him talk like that before, to anyone. “I… don’t know what to say…”  
“Yeah.” He sighed and shrugged. “Me either, _chica_.”

The quiet crept up on you both again as Javier looked into the fire and you looked at him. Somehow the man you had unknowingly sought out for comfort now needed you, and you were as lost as he was. Unable to find the words, you placed your hand on his shoulder. He turned his head towards you again and your eyes met, caught in each other’s gaze. His beautiful, dark eyes that were so often covered by the brim of his hat captivated you completely.

Javier moved his face towards yours slightly, stopping before he quite made his move. You parted your lips instinctively, anticipating the kiss he so clearly wanted to give you. His eyes fluttered closed as he tilted his head and so did yours. He captured your lips with his warm, thin ones and you lost the ability to breathe. It was everything you had never dared hope for. Slow and timid at first, but when you returned his soft kiss, Javier relaxed.

He reached up to cup your cheek with his hand, warm fingertips grazing your cheekbone as he focused his kiss to your top lip. You nervously placed your cigarette wielding hand on his other shoulder as he parted your lips and your tongues met for the first time. Your heart was leaping in your chest and pounding in your ears, making you lightheaded. His moustache and warm breath tickled your face, filling your senses with Javier.

When you broke apart, you both gazed at each other with half-lidded eyes. You felt slightly embarrassed at how breathless he had made you. Even with flushed cheeks, Javier managed to look so cool and collected. His lips quirked in a tender smile and he brushed your hair out of your face.

“_Hermosa_…“ He whispered softly. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”  
“You have?” You asked, unable to restrain your disbelief.  
“Of course…” He trailed his fingers from your hairline to your lips, tracing them with his fingertips. He watched their progression before darting back to your eyes. “Who wouldn’t want to kiss you?”

You blushed from head to toe and he chuckled at your expression. Javier leaned in to give you another short, sweet kiss. He took your hand now holding the burnt out remains of the cigarette. When his fingers brushed against it, he looked at it in surprise and grinned.

“I guess it really was my lucky cigarette.”


End file.
